tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post2922139342206969489..comments2024-03-28T14:49:36.133-04:00Comments on John Kenneth Muir's Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV: Star Trek 50th Anniversary Blogging: "The Man Trap" (September 8, 1966)John Kenneth Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-6215434141494775062016-01-16T13:53:11.590-05:002016-01-16T13:53:11.590-05:00A fine review. This is one episode that I've a...A fine review. This is one episode that I've actually seen in the last couple of decades: Upon a rewatch a few years ago I was impressed with the overall filmmaking polish -- one of the things that attracts me to this series, and something I would have noticed as a child, even if I wouldn't have been able to put my little pinky on it at the time. Barry Smighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02464450751543573690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-59706620882526484672016-01-13T12:04:08.316-05:002016-01-13T12:04:08.316-05:00Agree. Salt(NaCl)is so easy to provide. It wasn...Agree. Salt(NaCl)is so easy to provide. It wasn't like it actually wanted blood. As a boy I felt the same way. "The Man Trap" is a brilliant and haunting episode that should be remade in a J.J. Abrams Star Trek film.<br /><br />SGBSGBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07137406272001346149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-45249491797495789902016-01-13T07:56:28.612-05:002016-01-13T07:56:28.612-05:00James,
You do a good job of voicing my feelings a...James,<br /><br />You do a good job of voicing my feelings about this episode. I wanted to see a resolution of a more positive nature, and I feel that this is something Star Trek worked to in future episodes.John Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-75976500379026696772016-01-13T07:55:21.549-05:002016-01-13T07:55:21.549-05:00Steve,
You never have to apologize, my friend, fo...Steve,<br /><br />You never have to apologize, my friend, for presenting an alternate viewpoint or perspective. I love that. And indeed, you suggest something I hadn't considered, fully, in regards to this episode the idea that, on some occasions, the differences between beings is simply too great to breach. I still feel the episode would have worked better if they had saved the creature. But what if the creature couldn't allow itself to be saved? What if its aggressive nature dictated, eventually, its self destruction? Good point, my friend.<br /><br />All my best,<br />JohnJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-22079838326637801072016-01-13T07:52:45.573-05:002016-01-13T07:52:45.573-05:00Thank you, Jimmy. "The Man Trap" has a g...Thank you, Jimmy. "The Man Trap" has a great eerie vibe to it, and that makes it a strong episode. Also affecting, especially in the ending...John Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-53867670689392152102016-01-13T00:48:24.502-05:002016-01-13T00:48:24.502-05:00Nice point about the Ohura/Spock moments and how i...Nice point about the Ohura/Spock moments and how it is precursor for their relationship in the J.J. Abrams movies. As you said, a great "lower decks" episode.<br /><br />I agree, this really is "Devil in the Dark" with a bad resolution. Besides being out of sync with what would become the philosophy of the show, killing the salt creature seemed not only morally dubious, but unnecessary. Even the first time I saw this episode at age 11 I remember thinking "with all this future 23rd century technology can't they just figure out a way to feed the poor creature some damn salt?"<br />James J. Caterinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01457868136494514710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-39691375360227893802016-01-12T20:56:26.573-05:002016-01-12T20:56:26.573-05:00John,
Not trying to play devil's advocate here...John,<br />Not trying to play devil's advocate here, but I wanted to counter-balance some of your points.<br />Regarding the creature itself, this story is clearly a tragedy in that we don't know what happened to its species. We're told they once roamed the planet in massive numbers, akin to Earth's buffalo herds, but the implication is that they were hunted to extinction by the planet's original inhabitants, who left the ruins behind (also ambiguous), or they preyed upon each other to the point that few were left. The creature itself has a mournful, almost pitiable face. In a way, this is its story, its final chapter, and the nature of "kill or be killed" seems to define the humans as well as the salt vampires. Try as we might, we are imperfect beings, and McCoy is left with no choice. The alien brought about its own end. It always would.<br />I also admired the lower deck activity, which would return in the first season and then dissipate as the series continued and NBC demanded more planet-bound stories.<br />Nichelle Nichols is wonderful here, and having seen her in person at San Diego Comic Con, I can attest that she exudes charm and, (at the time) in her 70's, is still sexy as hell. It's no wonder that, as has been documented in the book Inside Star Trek, the show runners noticed and took full advantage of her stunning beauty and flirtatious nature. Having witnessed Ms. Nichols, my feeling is that Roddenberry was not trying to be sexist, but advancing his notion that we would be more comfortable with our sexuality in his version of the future.<br />The one line in "The Man Trap" that takes me out of the drama is Kirk's assertation "I don't like mysteries. They give me a bellyache, and I've got a beauty right now." This feels like it's been lifted from Jack Webb and Dragnet, and is more 60's to me than Uhura's advances towards Spock.<br />One more point: the episode "The Corbomite Maneuver" was first to be filmed and was scheduled to be the first episode aired, but the extensive special effects were late, so NBC put "The Man Trap" in its place.<br />SteveAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13101722769411384962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12380553.post-1008869247273941132016-01-12T18:30:47.250-05:002016-01-12T18:30:47.250-05:00Excellent review and probably one of the most memo...Excellent review and probably one of the most memorable episodes combining sci-fi and horror...a vampire in space!! Looking forward to your next reviews!!Jimmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06258625804437795189noreply@blogger.com